Microsoft, Sony Unveil 'Games with Gold' and 'Plus' Free Titles for February

Both Microsoft and Sony have trotted out the titles they’ll be offering through their respective subscription services for the month of February. Microsoft’s Xbox Live program, “Games with Gold,” will post two free Xbox 360 downloads over the course of the month. Sony’s “PlayStation Plus” perk will add some titles, as well, for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation Vita.

We’ve grown quite accustomed to Microsoft getting smacked around in terms of game quality, though last month’s combo of Sleeping Dogs and Lara Croft were pleasant surprises. The message for this month is, “Don’t get used to the good stuff.” Dead Island will be the first game available in February, and it boasts a Metacritic score of 71. The other game Microsoft will offer, Toy Soldiers: Cold War does have a more respectable Metacritic score of 81; unfortunately, it’s an Xbox Live Arcade title.

Not to say there aren’t good Arcade titles. When Sony is offering full games, though, Arcade titles feel like a slap in the face.

And Sony is offering some decent titles for the month of February. On the PS3 side of things, Plus subscribers will have access to Last Light, which has a Metacritic score of 80; Remember Me, which currently has a “meh” score of 71; as well as PayDay 2, which touts a score of 74. For the Vita, there’s Street Fighter X Tekken (79) and ModNation Racers: Road Trip (62).

Probably the most impressive Sony offering for the month comes on the PS4. Sony will give away Outlast, a title that doesn’t even launch for the platform until February 5. The PC version of the game pulled a Metacritic score of 80, and it’s actually one of the titles I’ve been meaning to play at some point.

So there you have it. Whether you’re an Xbox 360 owner, a PlayStation 3 owner or a multi-platform gamer, there’s what you can expect from Xbox Live Games with Gold and PlayStation Plus in the month of February. Happy? Sad? Indifferent? Drop us a line with your thoughts.